Laura Whitmore on 2:22: "I have a background in journalism and I love asking questions. I think this show asks a lot of questions"

"Expect the unexpected" Laura Whitmore tells me of 2:22.

"It’s such a cliche but yeah, no one ever guesses what happens. There’s a lot of twists".

And indeed, it is a fitting cliché for a a play written by none other than the podcasting brain behind BBC's supernatural podcast Uncanny Danny Robins.

The critically acclaimed 2:22 had its first run in summer 2021 at the Noël Coward Theatre, starring Lily Allen, where it won the WhatsOnStage award for Best Play.

Since then it's had a slew of back to back runs, and 3 years later 2:22 has made its way to Dublin for a limited run of Irish performances.

Its enormous success is entirely deserved, according the cast behind it.

"It will make you question everything. Be prepared to question everything you believe in" former Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore says.

Colin O'Donoghue and Shona McGarty in 222 at the 3Olympia Theatre, 26 June 2024. Copyright Bailey Shropshire_hotpress.com

Eastenders star Shona McGarty says: "There's jump scares!"

"Laughs" interjects Once Upon a Time's  Colin O’Donoghue.

"Laughs" agrees McCarty.

"Twists!" the Louth man adds.

Continuing he says: "I think you should take someone who’s really really bad with Horror films and scary stuff just so you can laugh with them".

For The Wanted's Jay McGuinness however, he thinks it's a play to get conversations started.

"I think a lot of time in life you don’t ask yourself brain challenging questions. Or maybe questions that might unnerve you.

It’ll only happen at the end of a night in a pub when you ask your friends what they believe in life after death and the rest of it"  he tells me.

Continuing he says: "You hear the audiences in the intervals in the scene changes talking about what’s going on and what they believe in.

"You want to hear [the conversations] in the pub afterwards when people talk about their ghostly experiences and was it just their mind playing tricks on them".

I ask why would you be drawn to a dark play like this.

Shona McCarty says: "I had never seen the show before but I really wanted to do it because I am so into ghost and stuff like that".

"But I am not scared", the actor explains.

"Jenny is scared. I believe in the afterlife so this really appealed to me. It’s part of the reason why I took the job".

Whitmore jokes: "We’re quite messed up people!".

In seriousness, Laura Whitmore continues, saying: "I do a true crime podcast and I have done some things before that are potentially supernatural".

"I have a background in journalism and I love questions. I love asking questions. I think this show asks a lot of questions and hopefully answers some as well".

All this said though, it's not all work and no play for the cast of 2:22, who managed to find time to let their hair down.

McGuinness says: "My highlight was probably drag bingo on Sunday".

Laura Whitmore, leading the charge, said: " There was Drag Bingo on in the George with Shirley Temple Bar so I had to bring the cast and crew to that".

The former boyband member adds: "And my mum flew over from England as well!"

When asked if the cast and crew were looking froward to Pride in Dublin, Whitmore says: "We have two shows, so we have a matinee and an evening show but we’ll be around. It’d be rude not to!".

• You can see Laura Whitmore, Jay McGuinness, Shona McCarty and Colin Donoghue perform in 2:22 in the 3Olympia until August 11 2024. Alternatively, you can catch them at Drag bingo in the George it seems. Further information as well as tickets can be found here.